Hundreds of jobs could be created as part of the new commercial development proposed for the gateway to the town to create the Oswestry Innovation Park (OIP), on land to the east of Mile End roundabout .

The land was allocated as part of the Shropshire Local Development Framework Core Strategy to meet Oswestry’s employment needs.  

The local site allocations and management of development (SAMDev) plan sought to deliver a balance between new housing and local employment opportunity, providing a range and choice of economic development opportunities in Oswestry.   

Development in the town has been held back by the lack of deliverable land, so the plan to provide sufficient land and a range of development opportunities in accessible locations helps meet the needs of the town.    

Delays to the development of housing and the lack of serviced employment land threaten the role and function of the town and the wider rural hinterland and its sustainability, resulting in continued outflow of investment and business relocations and a significant gap in the delivery of new homes, which further limit the town’s opportunity to grow.  

The allocation of this site underpins the role of Oswestry as a key market town serving local residents and the surrounding wide hinterland.  It will facilitate provision of local employment primarily through local indigenous growth, and create a more sustainable community with reduced reliance on outward commuting for employment.  

Studies we've commissioned confirm that there's significant demand for grow-on space, and that the severe shortage of employment floor space in Oswestry is exacerbated by the lack of serviced employment land and constrained supply of land and premises.  

The proposals for the Oswestry Innovation Park have been developed to meet local demand for grow-on space to stem the outflow of indigenous businesses out of the local area.   

The economic vision refers to the draft local economic growth strategy for Oswestry, which is about enabling growth through the use of existing assets and land to both attract and retain key businesses and deliver strategic employment land to drive long-term sustainability in Oswestry, and create the conditions for employment growth.   

This vision has been informed through collaborative engagement with key stakeholders with the town and parishes.  

Current planning application for the Innovation Park

The details of the hybrid planning application (reference 21/01334/EIA) for the Oswestry Innovation Park can now be viewed. An environmental summary has also been prepared to support the planning application.